Results 35,761-35,780 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I will read my written response to these amendments but also respond verbally to Senator Higgins. I understand the point she is making but there are other roles to be considered. For example, we have a military representative in Brussels and in New York. We can have a military representative to the OSCE. These representatives are not on humanitarian missions. I can second someone to an...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: So does the UN.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: If the Senator takes some of the organisations that I mentioned previously – NATO, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, the African Union, SADC, ASEAN, they are all organisations that have at different times been involved with NATO on certain projects but currently, as far as I know, probably are not. Perhaps one or two of them are, but most of them are not. We do...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: When the Senator previously mentioned NATO, she mentioned it in the context that it is an organisation we should never be working with.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: We can agree on that.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: How is NATO different? If we were considering this while NATO was working under a UN mandate on a project in Afghanistan, under the Senator's amendment, NATO would have been an organisation we could work with. However, under the Senator's proposed amendment, as soon as that UN mandate is over we could no longer work with NATO.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: How does that make sense? The organisation does not change.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: We are talking about-----

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: Sorry. We are talking about seconding people here.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am listening to Senator Higgins. However, let us not layer in the issues around delegation of command to force commanders with the issues of secondments into international organisations, whether it is the African Union, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, or whoever. These are entirely different issues. We have had good debate with a...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I take that point. I may be exaggerating for effect to make a point. However, that scenario could be interpreted by the Senator's amendments. I know she makes a distinction between sending a contingent of Defence Force personnel on a peacekeeping mission, or an intervention mission of some sort, with postings. The wording of the Senator's proposed amendments, however, do not make that...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Contracts (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not held meetings or conducted correspondence with the company referred to by the Deputy nor has it engaged the services of that company for any purposes from 1 January 2017 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the cases to which the Deputy refers, including the concerns raised by the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the health of two of the detainees. Irish officials are monitoring this matter closely, in cooperation with partners on the ground. Ireland, and our partners across the EU, have repeatedly raised the treatment of Palestinian prisoners with the Israeli...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: There are currently 2,192 passport applications from County Wicklow on hand with the Passport Service. All passport applications are processed based on date of receipt and application type irrespective of country or county of origin. The current Passport processing turnaround times are: 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15 working days for Complex renewals, 40 working days for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 116, 117 and 118 together. With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport application to the applicant.  The current turnaround times are 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15 working days for Complex renewals, 40 working days for First...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued a passport to the applicant. 

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not held meetings or conducted correspondence with the company referred to by the Deputy nor has it engaged the services of that company for any purposes from 1 January 2017 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy is aware, I met recently with participants from the Women of Honour group and a group of serving female members of the Defence Forces, where I had the opportunity to listen carefully to their experiences, in what were very informative meetings.  In addition, participants from the Women of Honour group have met with...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware,  I met recently with participants from the Women of Honour group and with a group of serving female members of the Defence Forces, where I had the opportunity to listen carefully to their experiences, in what were very informative meetings.  In addition, participants from the Women of Honour...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (21 Oct 2021)

Simon Coveney: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport application to the applicant's parent.  Applicants who require a passport for travel in an emergency such as urgent medical treatment or the death of a family member overseas can contact the Passport Service Customer Service Hub at 01...